Drawing on intriguing, vivid examples from their own research in Indonesia and Mexico, John Monaghan and Peter Just examine ways in which anthropology has advanced our understanding of human society and culture. They also provide a concise and accessible account of the “big” questions that have traditionally concerned anthropologists: What is unique about human beings? How are groups of people—family, cl... read more>>>

 
Spencer Wells is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society and Frank H. T. Rhodes Class of ’56 Professor at Cornell University. He leads the Genographic Project, which is collecting and analyzing hundreds of thousands of DNA samples from people around the world in order to decipher how our ancestors populated the planet. Wells received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and conducted postdoctoral work at Stanford and Oxfor... read more>>>

"Absorbing. . . . Shares its author's best traits: perseverance, insight, humor and humility. Both the Pirahas and their interpreter make splendid company."--The Plain Dealer

"Immensely interesting and deeply moving. . . . One of the best books I have read."—Lucy Dodwell, New Scientist  
 "A story of language and faith along the sweeping banks of the Maici River. . . . Verdict: Read."—Time read more>>>